On Saturday, August 9th, a memorial ceremony was held in Peace Park in Nagasaki, Japan to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing. The mayor of Nagasaki warned that the current global conflicts could lead to the world once again facing the risk of nuclear war, and urged leaders of all countries to devise concrete nuclear disarmament plans. Survivors and international representatives reiterated the importance of ensuring that Nagasaki remains the last city on Earth to suffer a nuclear attack.
Approximately 2,600 people attended the ceremony, including representatives from about 95 countries and regions, as well as European Union officials. At 11:02 AM, participants observed a moment of silence as a bell tolled, marking the exact moment in 1945 when the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the uranium bomb codenamed “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, resulting in about 140,000 deaths. Three days later, on August 9, the plutonium bomb codenamed “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki, claiming around 70,000 lives. The consecutive nuclear bombings devastated Japan and led to the country’s unconditional surrender on August 15, ending World War II.
Mayor of Nagasaki, Genjiro Suzuki, emphasized in the annual “Peace Declaration” that the existential crisis facing humanity is imminent and affects every resident on Earth. He warned that the world is caught in a vicious cycle of confrontation and division, calling on global leaders to propose specific nuclear disarmament pathways.
In his address, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also paid tribute to the victims lost 80 years ago and expressed condolences to those who continue to suffer from the aftermath. He reflected on the events of August 9, 1945, when Nagasaki was devastated by a more powerful bomb than Hiroshima, claiming about 70,000 lives instantly and causing long-term health damage to survivors.
“80 years ago today, this city turned into a scorched earth in an instant due to an atomic bomb,” Ishiba said. “The tragedies of Nagasaki and Hiroshima must never be repeated.”
Ishiba noted that despite deepening international divisions on nuclear disarmament, Japan, as the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons during war, upholds the three non-nuclear principles and is committed to achieving a world without nuclear conflict and nuclear weapons.
He emphasized the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the foundation of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. Ishiba stressed that conveying the truth of nuclear bombings is the cornerstone of nuclear disarmament efforts, transcending generations and borders to promote accurate understanding and enhance support for victims’ health, medical care, and other assistance.
As the number of nuclear bombing survivors rapidly decreases, with the Japanese government reporting a figure of 99,130 this year, with an average age exceeding 86 years. Many survivors who experienced the bombings in their youth are now unable to witness the future firsthand, raising concerns about the fading memories of nuclear bombings over time.
The Japan Confederation of A and H Bomb Sufferers Organizations, recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize last year, is digitizing survivors’ testimonies and uploading them to platforms like YouTube in the hope of transmitting the truth of nuclear bombings to the younger generation.
83-year-old survivor Fumi Takeshita said, “Nuclear weapons are unlike conventional weapons… Once they enter the human body, they never disappear.” She stressed the necessity of preventing the use of such weapons again.
Ishiba also stated, “The truth of war, its tragedies, and the severe dangers of atomic bombs must not be allowed to fade away. It must be handed down as a legacy of memory. I am determined to transcend generations and borders to further promote the accurate understanding of the truth of nuclear bombings.”
This year’s memorial ceremony was attended by representatives from 95 countries and regions, and European Union officials, including the United States, Israel, and Russia.
China notified that it would not attend, but did not specify the reason for its absence.
Last year, Nagasaki sparked a diplomatic row by not inviting Israel, which led to the absence of US and G7 diplomats. This year, the city government invited all countries with diplomatic missions in Japan.
Despite Japan’s commitment to nuclear disarmament as the only country to have endured nuclear attacks, it has not signed or participated in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as an observer.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized in a statement that “peace and security cannot be achieved through an arms race” and called on all countries to strengthen efforts to promote nuclear disarmament.